Recent data from SSON Research and Analytics reveals that implementing intelligent automation (IA) solutions is the top objective for shared services organizations (SSOs) and Global Business Services (GBS) functions for 2026. Promises of a multi-agent, autonomous future raise ambition across the industry but, at the same time, proving ROI remains a challenge. a challenge.
The State of Intelligent Automation 2026 report offers a realistic examination of the current reality of IA across SSOs and the GBS industry. It focuses a lens on where progress has been made and the challenges that today's organizations face within their IA endeavours.
Key insights include:
- Where SSOs and GBS Stand: Discover the levels of adoption and automation maturity across organizations.
- The Skills Inversion: Find out how skills requirements are shifting and evolving in line with IA tools and technologies.
- AI Leaps and the Agentic Horizon: Understand what agentic AI is, how it differs to AI tools organizations have been using in recent years, and how it can help SSOs and GBS.
- The Governance Gap: An honest look at the regulations and governance best practices that are helping shape the guardrails – and where they are lacking.
- Redefining the Value of Intelligent Automation: If proving ROI is a challenge, this section offers alternative ways of measuring the value of your IA initiatives.
- 2026 and Beyond: We close the report with a look at organizations' predictions for their agentic AI deployments over the next three years, and some measured advice to take on your IA journey.
Wherever you are on your IA roadmap, this report is a resource to help you benchmark your organization and cut through marketing messaging to discover the truth of where IA and AI stand across SSOs and GBS.
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